Clogged pipes ..... HELP !!!!

Sorry for length of the request, I'm just trying to be as detailed as possible because at this point I am just confused.

Let me start with some specifics about my home:

A 1400 ft ranch on a slab, I would say it is a basic "L" shaped house

I have a sewer system

2 bathrooms

Washer linked into sewer (pipes) for waste water

If you stand facing my home the bathrooms are on the left side of the house and I think they are in line with sewer pipe to the street.

Kitchen sink is in about the middle of the house

Washer is on the right side of the house

Issue
Whenever we wash clothes during the rinse cycle the sink in the Kitchen backs up.

Things done to resolve issue - Plumber

1st time - The kitchen sink and both bathrooms were backing up with nasty stuff, called plumber and he said "Roots in the sewer line"

2nd time - Kitchen sink back ups whenever we wash clothes and the bathroom was fine. I called the plumber and he snaked from the bathroom and the kitchen, issue went away.

3rd time (2weeks later) - Kitchen sink back ups whenever we wash clothes and the bathrooms are fine. I called the plumber and he snaked from the washer and the sink, issue went away.

4th time - About 6 months later kitchen sink back ups whenever we wash clothes and the bathrooms are fine. I called the plumber and he wanted to snake again ???

WTH - At $250 a pop and the amount of times it is happening I need to figure out how to do it myself.

Things done to resolve issue - Myself

I bought a 25ft 5/16 snake form home depot, I snaked from the kitchen sink. It feed out about 15ft and I hit a blockage, don't know what it is but I fought with it for about 4 hours. I was to the point were the snake was stuck and it took me another hour to remove.

Next I snaked from the washer and the snake feed all the way out without resistance.

At this point I am getting different advise from different places.

Home Depot - Dig up the trap located outside your house and clean out any obstructions (In process .... damn it is deep.... ..... and I hope I am digging in the right place, I am digging around the pipe outside that the plumber used to clear the roots)

Plumber - Rent a snake from home depot 75ft and snake from washer.

Home Depot - Don't use a 75ft snake, just use the 25ft and fight through the clog.

Home Depot - Use chemicals ....

Wife - CALL THE PLUMBER ALREADY

I have been dealing with is issue for about 2 weeks. I should be able to fix it and the plumber has already fixed this issue twice before and I am not ready to pay another $250 for something that looks like it will happen again.

Clogged pipes ..... HELP !!!!

I use a 3/8 cable on secondary lines.
Your problem is between the bathrooms and the kitchen branch.
You probably have a 2" cast iron line (copper drains are seldom underground)that has failed. When your cable was stuck, you might have been outside the pipe. Without being there running the cable it's hard to say.

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Clogged pipes ..... HELP !!!!

Quote:

Originally Posted by 21boat

Easy here. When we do slab DWV repairs we ALWAYS us a locator to trace out that collapsed line so NOT to jack hammer unnecessarily..

Thanks for the response ...

The plumber came to the conclusion that I had a busted pipe from the fact that he had mud on the snake, so I did put a claim in with my insurance company. He did say that once the adjuster approves the job they do send a camera down to see exactly were the pipe is busted

I'm just curious about:

Why my snake didn't come back with mud when I snaked ? Maybe I broke the pipe ? I mean the plumber did have a larger snake than the one I used, I'm not sure ....

Clogged pipes ..... HELP !!!!

Hello all,

OK ..... Every thing is in order .... I got the claim number from home insurance .... the plumber will commence to break through the floor tomorrow morning. Once the work is completed, I fax the plumbers findings to insurance company.

Just one question left:

Question: I asked how the plumber was going to pin point the break ?

Answer: He told me he has to break the floor in order to trace the line.

Question: Can't you send a camera do the line to I find it ?

Answer: You can't put a camera down a pipe like that, it is very corroded.

Clogged pipes ..... HELP !!!!

It depends on the size of the pipe and how many elbows. Cameras are very expensive. Most shops only have cameras for 3 and 4" lines.
But using his cable he might be able to measure and locate the spot.

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Clogged pipes ..... HELP !!!!

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheEplumber

It depends on the size of the pipe and how many elbows. Cameras are very expensive. Most shops only have cameras for 3 and 4" lines.
But using his cable he might be able to measure and locate the spot.

I think it is only a 2" line, I will ask him tomorrow ......

Like Danger Mouse said I'm just going to go with it, I have tried to fix it myself and it didn't work out.

Wife is about to go out and buy a jackhammer herself ...... so let me just let the plumber and insurance company work it out.